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The Lebanon Republic is a minute country (10,452 sq km or 4076 sq mi in area with 3.7 million residents) within the Middle East region with its capital at Beirut. It has a lengthy shoreline on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea and shares a long land boundary with its much bigger neighbor Syria to the north and the east, a much shorter (and currently "hot") border with Israel to the south. Religion: The natives of Lebanon include a wide variety of racial groups and religions, with the majority split between Muslim (Shi'a, Sunni) and Christian (Maronite, Greek Orthodox, Greek-Catholic Melkites, Armenians, Copts). Other smaller groups include Druze and Allawites. There are a large number (over 300,000) of Palestinian refugees in the country. In general evade any comment on politics and religion.

Weather: Lebanon has a moderate Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and cooler, wet winters. Autumn and spring are also good times to visit, with a bit more rain but without the tourist crowds attracted in summer. Talk: The official language of Lebanon is Arabic. The Lebanese dialect of Arabic is very different from some other dialects, mainly from Persian Gulf countries; however, all Lebanese will understand most other dialects of Arabic. French is broadly spoken and understood, owing to Lebanon's period as a French mandated province after the First World War. English is more and more widely used, especially in the cities, and among the younger crowd. Most young people will understand French, English and Arabic.

Culture: Lebanon is a nation of many diverse religious sects. It is suggested to wear humble clothing when visiting religious sites (mosques, churches, etc) and when visiting rural towns and villages. Sports: Because of Lebanon's distinctive geography, both summer and winter sports thrive in the country. In fact, in autumn and spring it is sometimes possible to connect in both during the same, skiing in the morning and swimming in the Mediterranean during the afternoon. At the competitive level, basketball, football, and hip ball are among Lebanon's most popular sports. Canoeing, cycling, rafting, climbing, swimming, sailing and spelunking are among the other common leisure sports in Lebanon. Adventure and intense sports are also possible throughout the country.